The key to meditation is to recognize the nature of your mind rather than trying to change it.

Long is the night to him who is awake; long is a mile to him who is tired; long is life to the foolish who do not know the true law.

The signs of practice are not in extraordinary experiences but in extraordinary awareness of ordinary experiences.

To forget the self is to be actualized by myriad things.

The past is for learning from, not for living in.

When walking, just walk. When sitting, just sit. Above all, don't wobble.

To study the Way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be enlightened by all things.

Mindfulness means keeping one's consciousness alive to the present reality.

The cultivation of loving-kindness has the power to transform enmity into amity, hostility into hospitality.

The Buddha's teachings are not about abandoning our lives but about bringing the fullness of our attention to our lives.

Enlightenment is intimacy with all things.

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.

If you want to know your past life, look into your present condition; if you want to know your future life, look into your present actions.

Meditation practice isn't about trying to throw ourselves away and become something better. It's about befriending who we are already.

Real happiness comes from having an unshakable connection to the deep wellspring of peace and happiness that is not dependent on external conditions.

In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.

Conquer anger with non-anger. Conquer evil with good. Conquer stinginess with giving. Conquer deceit with truth.

What you are is what you have been. What you'll be is what you do now.

If you love someone, the greatest gift you can give them is your presence.

When you love someone, you have to have trust and confidence. Love without trust is not yet love.

Don't think that only sitting with the eyes closed is practice. If you do think this way, then quickly change your thinking.

Compassion is not something we develop. It arises naturally as we see the truth of what is.

When the heart is still, it can be kind. When the mind is still, it can see clearly.

The development of wisdom requires both study and practice, both learning and direct experience.

The path of practice requires both faith and wisdom, both devotion and understanding.

The role of Zen is neither to stand above life nor to run away from it, but to face it with a spirit of determination.

Wisdom is not something we have to strive to acquire. Rather, wisdom arises naturally as we open our hearts to the truth of what is.

One moment can change a day, one day can change a life, and one life can change the world.

When we recognize that our thoughts are just thoughts, we can choose whether or not to follow them.

The basic teaching of Buddhism is the teaching of transiency, or change.

The nature of mind is clearer than the sky, yet we keep looking elsewhere.

The path of practice moves from faith through understanding to direct realization.

Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.